1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to high-voltage transformers and more specifically those implemented in high-voltage power supplies, in particular those implemented in medical imaging devices and more specifically power supplies for X-ray tubes of such devices.
2. Description of Related Art
There are numerous constraints on power supplies for X-ray tubes. These power supplies, when used, for example, in tomography, are in particular subjected to strong accelerations of several dozen G (the X-ray source rapidly rotating about the patient or the object to be imaged).
In addition, these power supplies must be capable of switching very quickly from a first high voltage to a second high voltage so as to modify the nature of the X-rays, in order in particular to obtain a contrasted image of the patient or object.
The components used in X-ray tube power supplies must be reliable and have good performances.
In such a power supply, a limiting component is in particular the high-voltage transformer.
Indeed, high-voltage transformers are complex in particular due to the high-voltage isolation between primary and secondary windings.
In addition, the high-voltage transformer must satisfy mass and size constraints (it must be capable of being integrated in a medical imaging device) and be inexpensive.